Another Wolf Pack Comeback Leads to 4-3 Shootout Win

Oct 18, 2013

The Wolf Pack won their fourth straight game Friday night at the XL Center, coming back from a 3-1 third-period deficit and defeating the Manchester Monarchs, 4-3 in a shootout.

Marek Hrivik and Aaron Johnson scored 24 seconds apart in the third to tie the game, and Hrivik and Brandon Mashinter scored in the shootout. Cam Talbot made 30 saves in regulation and overtime, including a penalty shot in OT.

“Obviously, it was a huge win for the guys,” Johnson, the Wolf Pack’s captain, said. “We have put ourselves in this position all year, but we came out and had a great shootout win.”

Danny Kristo also scored for the Wolf Pack. Tyler Toffoli had a goal and an assist for the Monarchs, who also got goals from Tanner Pearson and Colin Miller.

During a four-on-four situation in the third period, Mashinter found Hrivik at the right side of the goalmouth, and Hrivik whipped the puck past Monarch goaltender Martin Jones at 14:05, cutting a Manchester lead to 3-2.

Then, with the Wolf Pack shorthanded at 14:29, Johnson pounced on a rebound of a Micheal Haley shot at the post to Jones’ right, and shoved it into the goal for the tie.

The Monarchs had a golden opportunity to win at 4:36 of overtime, when the Wolf Pack’s Conor Allen, after turning the puck over to Manchester’s Linden Vey, slashed Vey’s stick from behind, causing Vey to be awarded a penalty shot. Talbot stayed with Vey’s move to the backhand on the penalty shot, though, and made the save with his right pad.

Talbot then stopped four out of five attempts in the shootout, including a denial of Vey on the Monarchs’ fifth shot to end the game.

After the Wolf Pack were unsuccessful on two early power plays, the Monarchs drew first blood at 9:45 of the first period. Vey fed the puck into the slot to Toffoli, whose shot went through a block attempt by Allen and got by Talbot’s left skate.

Danny Kristo answered for the Wolf Pack, though, at 15:56 with a deflection of an Allen shot. Chris Kreider worked the puck off the boards to Allen at the left point, and Allen sent a quick, low shot towards the net and Kristo tipped it past Jones.

The Monarchs regained the lead only 1:11 into the second period, on a goal by Pearson. Pearson broke up a Kristo pass in the Monarch end and got a step on Hartford defenseman Tommy Hughes. Pearson sped down the left side of the slot and snapped a shot past Talbot’s stick side.

Manchester capitalized on some Wolf Pack penalty trouble later in the period, after Danny Syvret and Dylan McIlrath took minor penalties only 36 seconds apart, creating a two-man advantage of 1:25.

The Monarchs cashed in at 14:41, as Miller drove home his first pro goal from the left-wing faceoff dot. Miller took a pass from Toffoli and found a spot on the short side of Talbot.

The Wolf Pack, who are now 4-0-0-1 on the year for nine points, are right back in action Saturday night, when they travel to Lewiston, Maine to meet the Portland Pirates. Faceoff is 7:00 PM, and all the action can be heard live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, on-line at www.foxsportsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio. Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.

The Wolf Pack’s next home game is this Wednesday, October 23, also against Portland and also at 7:00. That is the Pack’s first “Winning Wednesday”. At all Wednesday night home games this year, if the Wolf Pack win, each fan receives a free ticket to the Pack’s next home game. Some restrictions apply, and full details are available on the Wolf Pack’s official website, www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

Tickets for all Wolf Pack 2013-14 home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger. To speak with a representative about season or group tickets, call (855) 762-6451.